The Nordic Table: Denmark's Culture & Cuisine

From your host, Alison Negrin

I am so excited to show you the Denmark I’ve grown to love. Long before I became a professional chef I spent many formative years living in the Danish countryside — in the kitchens of rural Denmark in the 1970s, where I learned a way of cooking rooted in seasonality and simplicity. One could say the New Nordic movement has its foundations in exactly this. It rejected centuries of French cooking techniques and declared that food could be extraordinary from what the Nordic landscape produces — local, seasonal, foraged in the wild or grown on a rooftop.

Denmark in late August and early September is something special — golden days that seem to last forever, seasonal produce at its peak, the fragrant elderflower and rock roses that line the streets of every village. On this journey we explore that culture in its full range, each stop chosen to reveal a different facet of the country that made New Nordic possible — and together they form a more complete portrait of Denmark.

We begin in Copenhagen, where we dine at a rooftop urban farm, visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, learn to bake cardamom buns and taste our way through the city. Next we cross to Ærø for a three-day visit to Denmark’s most enchanting small island. We’ll stop in a city called Odense, and visit the extraordinary Hans Christian Andersen Museum designed by Kengo Kuma, before continuing to the city of Aarhus for the annual Food Festival. The journey ends with lunch at an 800-year-old castle in the Lammefjord — land reclaimed from the sea, and now the source of Denmark's finest vegetables.

Alison learned to cook in the farmhouse kitchens of rural Denmark before anyone had heard of New Nordic. She went on to train at Chez Panisse, where Alice Waters had built a California cuisine on the same foundations — seasonal, local, rooted in place — and spent decades as an executive chef in the Bay Area. She speaks Danish, knows which ferry to take, and has strong opinions about herring and smoked fish. Come see her Denmark.

DATES
August 27 - September 7, 2027

Price;
Tour is being finalized. Please register for updates and more information by clicking below.

---

Sample Itinerary

Day 0: Copenhagen
(optional early arrival on August 26, 2027)

If you're arriving early in Copenhagen and looking for a way to relax with a free afternoon, the brand new Water Culture House (opening this year) is not to be missed — a striking series of brick pyramids at the water's edge, housing indoor pools beneath dramatic skylit cones, outdoor thermal baths in the valleys between them, and direct harbour swimming right on the quayside.

There is no shortage of museums in Copenhagen, and the Tivoli Gardens are a wonderful place to feel the heart of city. There are royal palaces, the Royal Copenhagen flagship store, and lots of other shopping delights.

No group activities on this day. Hotel and meals not included on 8/26/27. Terms and conditions can be found here. Please don’t travel without travel insurance.

Overnight: 71 Nyhavn Hotel

---

Day 1: Arrival Day - Copenhagen (8/27)

Denmark is consistently ranked among the happiest countries on earth, and Copenhagen is the epicenter of that happiness. The city is designed around people: bicycles outnumber cars, there are canals to swim in, and a food culture that takes itself seriously without being pretentious. The group assembles today and checks in at 71 Nyhavn Hotel — two converted 19th-century warehouses right on the famous canal, where original timber beams and harbour views set the tone for the days ahead.

The afternoon is yours to explore. A one-hour canal boat tour departs steps from the hotel at Nyhavn 3, winding past the Renaissance spires of Christiansborg, the old naval quarter of Holmen, and the sweeping waterfront. For those who prefer to stay on foot, the Latin Quarter, the Round Tower and the medieval streets of the old city are all within easy walking distance. This evening we gather for our welcome dinner.

Overnight: 71 Nyhavn Hotel

---

Day 2: Elsinore → Louisiana → Karen Blixen’s House (8/28)

A full day dedicated to culture and the coastline. The morning takes us north of the city to Kronborg Castle, the Renaissance fortress immortalised as Hamlet’s Elsinore, perched dramatically at the mouth of the Øresund strait. Afterwards, we continue south to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, where world-class contemporary art meets a stunning clifftop setting above the sea. Before heading back to Copenhagen, we stop at Rungstedlund — the home of Karen Blixen, where she wrote both Out of Africa and Babette's Feast. The house sits above the Øresund, surrounded by a bird sanctuary she established herself, and has been preserved exactly as she left it when she died in 1962. Afterwards we return to the city for dinner together.

Overnight: 71 Nyhavn Hotel

---

Day 3: Copenhagen (8/29)

Have a light breakfast this morning, because after a leisurely start we will be led by a local guide through the historic heart of Copenhagen on a four-hour culinary walking tour, beginning at Torvehallerne market. There we will taste award-winning Arla Unika cheeses (developed in collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs), which sets the tone for what follows. A freshly baked Danish pastry at Riviera Bakery, gourmet smørrebrød at the historic Café & Ølhalle 1892, a craft beer or apple wine at SKAAL, and an organic hot dog at DØP beside the Round Tower. The day ends on a sweet note — handmade candy from Sømods Bolcher, royal supplier to the Danish Court, a piece of Lakrids by Johan Bülow, and a flødebolle from Summerbird Organic. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon exploring the city on your own.

The evening brings everyone together for dinner at a rooftop urban farm in the middle of the city. A guided garden tour precedes a long-table dinner made from fresh organic produce grown above Copenhagen’s rooftops.

Overnight: 71 Nyhavn Hotel

---

Day 4: Copenhagen (8/30)

The morning begins with a visit to Suhrs Højskole. Founded in 1901 and one of Denmark's most respected højskole, its focus is on food culture and culinary education. A guided tour of the school and a conversation about the højskole tradition, Denmark's unique model of continuing adult education, built on the belief that learning should be about enlightenment rather than credentials. Afterwards, enjoy some free time to explore Copenhagen. We will reconvene in the late afternoon for an evening of Danish cooking. Together, we'll prepare a three-course dinner rooted in traditional Danish dishes with touches of New Nordic style, using classic ingredients, seasonal produce, and foraged finds. We will be guided through the techniques and plating used in Nordic kitchens as we cook each course. When the cooking is done, we will sit down in the dining room and enjoy the meal together.

Overnight: 71 Nyhavn

---

Day 5: Copenhagen →Svendborg → Ærø (8/31)

Departure day from the capital. We travel south to Svendborg — a handsome old maritime town of winding streets, half-timbered houses and a harbour that has been sending ships out into the world since the 13th century. Lunch here before we board the ferry south to Aero.

One of Denmark’s best-kept secrets, a small, slow island of rolling hills, cobblestone villages and colourful painted doors, Ærø is where time moves differently and the sea is never far away. On arrival we check into our hotel and spend the first evening at a tiny harbour restaurant where a seasonal tasting menu draws on the best of the island’s produce.

Overnight: TBC

---

Day 6: Ærø (9/1)

We will start the day at a restored family farmhouse with a wild garden which leads down to the Baltic Sea. We begin with a two-hour foraging walk along the coastline, learning about herbs and edible plants. Back at the house, we will gather enjoy a cooking class, turning our forage finds into a shared lunch.

In the afternoon, we will enjoy a private screening of Babette’s Feast — the beloved Danish film about food, sacrifice and grace, and a fitting companion to everything this journey is about. Dinner afterwards at a wine bar in the old town. For those wanting an after dinner walk, we will join the night watchman for a walk around the village.

Overnight: TBC

---

Day 7: Ærø (9/2)

After breakfast, we leave for Marstal, once the second-largest shipping hub in Denmark, surpassed only by Copenhagen. The harbour is still a working one, with dockyards and vessels that mean business, while the backstreets reveal a quieter charm: cobbled alleys flanked by roses and hollyhocks, small craft shops, and a church whose 48 bells ring out several times a day. We begin with a private tour of the Maritime Museum by a retired sailor. Learn about the history of fishing in this region as well as personal stories of the life of a sailor.

Lunch at a harbour smokehouse (paid directly), where freshly smoked fish and shellfish are served in the open air with rye bread and the smell of the smoke still in the air. We continue to Søby, a renaissance manor home.

Overnight: TBC

---

Day 8: Ærø → Odense → Aarhus (9/3)

The group takes the ferry from Ærøskøbing to Svendborg where luggage is transferred to a coach for onward delivery to Aarhus. The group then boards the first class train into Odense, Denmark’s third city and the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen.

The centrepiece of the stop is the Hans Christian Andersen House, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma — an immersive, beautifully unsettling museum that places visitors inside the fairy tales, set within a landscaped garden with a maze at its heart. Afterwards, free time for lunch and a wander. We will continue north to Aarhus in the mid-afternoon. Check-in upon arrival and gather later for dinner.

Overnight: Villa Provence Hotel

---

Day 9: Aarhus → Ebeltoft → Aarhus

This morning we will take some time to explore the city before an afternoon trip to the charming town of Ebeltoft.

With its cobbled streets, half-timbered houses, and small galleries around Torvet, the main square. Highlights include the Old Town Hall (Denmark's smallest), the Fregatten Jylland, the world's longest wooden warship moored in the harbor, and the Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, known for its contemporary glass art collection. Around 5:30pm, we'll drive fifteen minutes south to Femmøller Strand for dinner at Molskroen, a historic seaside inn set within Mols Bjerge National Park. We'll aim to arrive early enough for a drink on the terrace overlooking the sea before sitting down to Molskroen's Michelin Green Star, Nordic-French menu.

Overnight: Villa Provence Hotel

---

Day 10: Aarhus

After breakfast we will walk over to Den Gamle By ("The Old Town") an open-air museum built from more than seventy historic buildings moved here from all over Denmark. In 2026 it won the award for European Museum of the Year. It traces daily life from the renaissance all the way through to itsmost recent addition in 2014.

Our private guided tour focuses on a tour of the market town followed by time to explore on your own. The town is alive with different kinds of shops from all the different eras so you can take a piece of history home with you.

We will gather later to go to the annual Aarhus Food Festival at Tangkrogen, one of the Nordic region’s great culinary gathering, bringing together producers, chefs and food lovers from across Denmark. The early evening is free to graze and explore at your own pace.

Overnight: Villa Provence Hotel

---

Day 11: Aarhus → Odsherred → Copenhagen (9/6)

This morning we say goodbye to Aarhus and begin our journey back to Copenhagen, crossing to Zealand by ferry. This is a day devoted to the agriculture of the Lammefjord region. A former seabed, dammed and drained and turned into farmland in the 19th century, its rich soils have made it Denmark's most celebrated growing region. The local carrots and potatoes are so distinctive they carry a European Protected Geographical Indication.

We begin in the fields themselves, at the heart of the Lammefjord, where a guided walk introduces us to the cultural history and terroir of the region and the extraordinary crops it is known for.

Nearby is Dragsholm Castle, the former home of Baron Zytphen-Adeler himself, where we will enjoy a tasting of Danish wines followed by lunch and a tour of the castle. Afterwards we begin the final leg of the journey back to Copenhagen, with one last stop at Friis-Holm Chocolate — one of Europe's most celebrated chocolate artisans. We will gather this evening in the hotel restaurant to share our memories of the trip.

Overnight: 71 Nyhavn

---

Day 12: Departure (9/7)

The final day of the main tour. For those heading home, Copenhagen Airport is easily reached from the hotel.

---